Average? Are you serious? He is in the top 10 in playoff goals, won a Conn SMythe and was part of 4 Cup teams. Some of that certainly comes from being lucky enough to be on great teams, but certainly a part of it also comes from making the teams he was on great.

"It was pretty interesting," said Detroit coach Mike Babcock. "We had May in exhibition for a couple of games and no one gets hacked or whacked. When we don't have him, we get run. We don't have a team that twists off helmets at stoppages. You get tired of seeing it all the time. It's just nice when you get someone to look after that stuff."

Lemieux cheapshots a player with his walker, drawing the ire of D-Mac, who hobbles over. They draw their canes, salute, and cross them, then proceed to repeatedly whack eachother over the heads while hanging onto the bench with their other hands for balance. D-Mac then hits Lemieux's hip, which gives out, Lemieux feebly falls to the ground, crumpling as D-Mac continues to land barely noticeable Yoda-esque cane strikes. Lemieux's age begins catching up to him, crying "what a world, what a world..!" as he melts into a puddle of goo.

If some bored artist wants to make me a signature, feel free to cut loose and do so.

Hi, I'm Micah. I'm not an Aves fan, I am a Red wings fan. I think not squaring up with claude was cheap. Mac had the opportunity to school Claude strait-up, but he decided to jump him instead. I thought it was curious at the time, but the next year we learned why Mac choose to jump him - it was apparently because he wouldn't have soundly beat Lemieux without an unfair advantage.

It's too bad that the toughest player in the game - Brent Severyn - didn't go with McCarty. It's also too bad that the toughest player on either roster - Joey Kocur - was a scratch that night.

"It was pretty interesting," said Detroit coach Mike Babcock. "We had May in exhibition for a couple of games and no one gets hacked or whacked. When we don't have him, we get run. We don't have a team that twists off helmets at stoppages. You get tired of seeing it all the time. It's just nice when you get someone to look after that stuff."

Lemieux cheapshots a player with his walker, drawing the ire of D-Mac, who hobbles over. They draw their canes, salute, and cross them, then proceed to repeatedly whack eachother over the heads while hanging onto the bench with their other hands for balance. D-Mac then hits Lemieux's hip, which gives out, Lemieux feebly falls to the ground, crumpling as D-Mac continues to land barely noticeable Yoda-esque cane strikes. Lemieux's age begins catching up to him, crying "what a world, what a world..!" as he melts into a puddle of goo.

Lemieux cheapshots a player with his walker, drawing the ire of D-Mac, who hobbles over. They draw their canes, salute, and cross them, then proceed to repeatedly whack eachother over the heads while hanging onto the bench with their other hands for balance. D-Mac then hits Lemieux's hip, which gives out, Lemieux feebly falls to the ground, crumpling as D-Mac continues to land barely noticeable Yoda-esque cane strikes. Lemieux's age begins catching up to him, crying "what a world, what a world..!" as he melts into a puddle of goo.

Provided his putrid carcass is in the lineup on Feb. 25, I'm taping that game. Lord knows SOMETHING is bound to happen. If it doesn't, I'm going to be very disappointed.

Edited by Electrophile, 19 January 2009 - 03:58 PM.

"People assume that time is a strict progression of cause to effect, but *actually* from a non-linear, non-subjective viewpoint - it's more like a big ball of wibbly wobbly... time-y wimey... stuff." -- The Doctor

This move tells me one thing. The Sharks still know that they probably can't beat the Wings in a seven game series. This is a desperate move from a scared franchise.

Interestingly, not every move the Sharks make is based on the Wings. He's coming up because of injuries, not the least of which is Torrey Mitchell re-injuring his leg yesterday. There have been a couple of guys up from the AHL, and their time is about up, so they're going back down. Meanwhile, the Sharks still have a D man playing forward in a number of games, because there are so many guys out right now. So they need people, and all of the younguns who looked good in camp have already had a turn.

Claude said he wanted to get back into the NHL and would do whatever it takes, and he's jumped through every hoop the Sharks organization asked him to jump through. He went to China to play for a few months to prove he was serious, and didn't complain. Then he went to the AHL, again without complaining. Everyone has said he can still play. He proved that he's serious, now he gets rewarded. I've got to respect him for everything he's done to get this chance.

All that said, I don't think he'll be up for more than a few games. The Sharks have their team, and it's been working together for a few months now to be a solid unit. Unless he comes in and really does play the best hockey of his career, he's going to have a hard time winning a place. In the same way that the Sharks, like the Wings, won't be renting a star for the playoffs, they won't be adding someone out of desperation or fear.

Most likely the Sharks will offer to trade him to whomever is most likely to face the Wings in the first round. Because that would be funny.

I honestly don't expect anything to happen based on the past. Mac and Turtle played against each other a number of times after their last fight, and I believe at one point they called it pax. Drapes and Turtle have not made up that I know of, but they never fought either.

If anything happens, it will be due to a new cheapshot on the part of Claude, not based on the events of a decade ago.

I'm not completely clear on why they made the move. Roenick has made no bones about how much he respects Wilson for giving him a chance, and he's clearly played hard to earn the trust Wilson had in him. Maybe this is Wilson giving a chance to another vet and hoping he'll be rewarded by getting something special out of Lemieux.

I can't quite wrap my head around the idea that this is about Lemieux's virtues as a hockey player, though. Last time I saw him in the NHL, he was killing the Dallas Stars, taking dumb penalties against the Ducks in the 2003 playoffs. I have trouble believing that 6 years away from NHL hockey have improved his game. So the logical conclusion seems to be that they're bringing in Lemieux for his veteran leadership and experience winning at the highest level.

Well, that's a double edged sword. It could certainly send the message to Joe Thornton, in particular, that the team doesn't believe it has the leadership it needs to win in the playoffs.

I dunno. This team is on fire. Why tinker with it at all? As much as he's revered as a winner, Lemieux has had his problems even with his own teammates throughout his career. I'd leave well enough alone. The guys on that roster have gotten them this far. Dance with the one who brought you there and what not.

Interestingly, not every move the Sharks make is based on the Wings. He's coming up because of injuries, not the least of which is Torrey Mitchell re-injuring his leg yesterday. There have been a couple of guys up from the AHL, and their time is about up, so they're going back down. Meanwhile, the Sharks still have a D man playing forward in a number of games, because there are so many guys out right now. So they need people, and all of the younguns who looked good in camp have already had a turn.

Claude said he wanted to get back into the NHL and would do whatever it takes, and he's jumped through every hoop the Sharks organization asked him to jump through. He went to China to play for a few months to prove he was serious, and didn't complain. Then he went to the AHL, again without complaining. Everyone has said he can still play. He proved that he's serious, now he gets rewarded. I've got to respect him for everything he's done to get this chance.

All that said, I don't think he'll be up for more than a few games. The Sharks have their team, and it's been working together for a few months now to be a solid unit. Unless he comes in and really does play the best hockey of his career, he's going to have a hard time winning a place. In the same way that the Sharks, like the Wings, won't be renting a star for the playoffs, they won't be adding someone out of desperation or fear.

Most likely the Sharks will offer to trade him to whomever is most likely to face the Wings in the first round. Because that would be funny.

Best post of the thread. You said everything I was going to say. I'll leave it at that.

This move tells me one thing. The Sharks still know that they probably can't beat the Wings in a seven game series. This is a desperate move from a scared franchise.

Should make for an interesting series... assuming San Jose can clear the first round.

I highly doubt that this move has anything to do with a response solely to the Red Wings or anything like that. Probably just the Sharks thinking that Lemieux can help the team out in whatever way(s). It has nothing to do with the Red Wings nor any other NHL team outside of the San Jose Sharks.

And as much as Lemieux is disliked by Wings fans, I'll leave uncle ovi's post to do the rest of the talking, as it is a good one.

Say what you want about him being old, over the hill, washed up, worn out or whatever, but think about this. If the best team in the league called him up to play for them, he must have something to offer that SJ wants.

And I'm sorry, "average at his peak"? No dice. You don't win 4 Stanley Cups, score 80 career goals in the playoffs, and win the Conn Smythe Trophy (by beating a Scotty Bowman coached Detroit Red Wings team, BTW) by being average...

Hi, I'm Micah. I'm not an Aves fan, I am a Red wings fan. I think not squaring up with claude was cheap. Mac had the opportunity to school Claude strait-up, but he decided to jump him instead. I thought it was curious at the time, but the next year we learned why Mac choose to jump him - it was apparently because he wouldn't have soundly beat Lemieux without an unfair advantage.

It's too bad that the toughest player in the game - Brent Severyn - didn't go with McCarty. It's also too bad that the toughest player on either roster - Joey Kocur - was a scratch that night.

ok dude seriously the year after that claude tried to redeem himself and couldnt do it after they went at it off the faceoff yes he had his moments but mccarty was the better fighter in all of them

Hi, I'm Micah. I'm not an Aves fan, I am a Red wings fan. I think not squaring up with claude was cheap. Mac had the opportunity to school Claude strait-up, but he decided to jump him instead. I thought it was curious at the time, but the next year we learned why Mac choose to jump him - it was apparently because he wouldn't have soundly beat Lemieux without an unfair advantage.

It's too bad that the toughest player in the game - Brent Severyn - didn't go with McCarty. It's also too bad that the toughest player on either roster - Joey Kocur - was a scratch that night.

I'm thinking that D-Mac decided to school Clod on how to cheap shot someone. It was the ol' "you get what you give" lesson. I agree, if you don't square off with someone, you're a thug not a scrapper or an enforcer. But I think Clod got the message. As for how this will affect future games between two powerhockey teams, in the subject of ass-wuppin's...I'm going to say it's a non-issue.

Unfortunately, people will be expecting some form of clash of the titans, but unless there is something new to stir the pot, it's going to be a hockey game, and that's all.